Senate Resolution Warns Japan On Trade

WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a resolution Thursday urging President Reagan to retaliate against Japanese imports unless Japan gives U.S. products greater access to its markets.

The non-binding resolution, approved 92-0, came as new figures showed a mounting U.S. trade deficit with Japan and as U.S. officials sought to persuade Japan to give U.S. firms the same ability to compete in Japan`s vast telecommunications market as Japanese companies enjoy in this country.

The hourlong Senate debate was filled with denunciations of Japan`s trade policies and warnings that if more equal treatment is not forthcoming, Congress will respond with actual retaliatory legislation.

The Senate resolution calls on the president to seek an opening of Japanese markets so as to achieve at least as big an increase in the flow of U.S. products to Japan as the likely increase in Japanese auto exports to this country as a result of Japan relaxing its voluntary export controls.

Though the administration has not sought extension of those controls when they expire Sunday, Japanese officials have announced a plan to continue them anyway -- but at an export level 25 percent higher than last year.

The White House responded Wednesday that, rather than continued auto controls, it seeks increased access to Japanese markets for a wide variety of U.S. products.